Treatment Evaluation Process

Some important HH characteristics and symptoms to consider when
evaluating a potential HH patient include:

seizures

precocious (early) puberty

hormone imbalances

cognitive impairment

behavioral problems

emotional difficulties

Seizures caused by a hypothalamic hamartoma usually begin in infancy,
most often as brief and frequent gelastic (or laughing) seizures.
Between the ages of 4 and 10 years old, seizures may become more
disabling, with the emergence of different seizure types, such as:

In the early stage, the child may display signs of progressive cognitive
impairment, worsening school performance, and the following
behavioral problems:

tantrums

rage attacks

social isolation

Some children with a hypothalamic hamartoma may have endocrine
(hormonal) disturbances. Central precocious puberty (early puberty) is
the most common sign of these disturbances, and may be the only
symptom of hypothalamic hamartoma that a child has.
Not all people with a hypothalamic hamartoma have the same
symptoms or the same age of onset. While you might notice gelastic
seizures in a newborn, it is also possible that seizures will not develop
until later in life. Seizures caused by a hypothalamic hamartoma
generally do not respond to medication.
View Treatment Algorithm here